RSS Newsfeeds

Global Regions

SD3D

Automating 3D printing for the commercial and industrial markets

At SD3D, we’re making this long-awaited technology a reality for businesses everywhere. Our HaaS (Hardware as a Service) platform is bringing a networked approach to 3D printing – connecting the commercial and industrial markets to local printers that suit their manufacturing needs. No matter if you need 10,000 units or just a one-off prototype, SD3D gets you results quicker and more cost-effectively than anyone else – and gets your products to market. Over 600 paying customers have reaped the rewards to date – and exponential growth is right around the corner!

We may not have flying cars quite yet, but other once-dreamed-of technologies are unfolding in front of our eyes. Take 3D printing – the duplication of tangible, multi-dimensional objects without building from scratch is now possible with this incredible innovation. With the technology continuing to mature, wide-eyed consumers are waiting patiently as printer manufacturers strive to make the lowest-cost in-home units and get them to market first. This strict focus on the B2C market and “one-off prototyping” jobs in 3D printing is known as “the race to the bottom”.

Unfortunately, what was supposed to be the “next industrial revolution” is being slowed by this laser focus on consumers. The industry’s true value lies in the industrial and commercial markets – which are largely being ignored in the race to improve 3D printing systems and processes for consumers. Those dipping their toes in are forced to deal with now decade-old technology, which is extremely labor-intensive and utilizes materials sold at over 1,000% markups. These aging machines are so inefficient that in 2015 an estimated 550 Million printing hours were lost waiting for print beds to be cleared by an operator. An additional 325 Million printing hours are lost each year due to print failures. Because of this, 3D printing applications in the B2B sector are extremely difficult to scale and often confined to very small niches – where margins are even smaller.

With 93% of targets identifying 3D printing as a future strategic imperative, the industrial and commercial additive manufacturing markets need better systems that allow for a broader range of applications. The final piece of the puzzle lies in optimizing “final parts” manufacturing processes for clients – ones that ultimately serve as the make-or-break point for 3D printing feasibility. Fortunately, progress is being made in this arena – with final parts production revenues increasing 21.3% faster than the rest of the additive manufacturing industry since 2013. The environment for restarting the next industrial revolution is just about perfect – all that’s needed is for an innovator to step up and lead the market.

In turning the conventional 3D printer into a continuously-operated production line, we’re bringing the commercial and industrial markets the manufacturing solution they’ve longed for. Taking the form of a web-based HaaS, our service is simple, incredibly cost effective, and allows for production runs of between 1 and 100,000 units.

By automating what used to be incredibly labor-intensive manufacturing processes, we’re bridging the gap between software and hardware development. Instead of ideas and projects hitting the skids before making it to market validation, commercial/industrial manufacturers can now prototype and vet their ideas – which increases the rate of products making it to market. We allow our enterprise customers to print around-the-clock at their convenience, increasing throughput by 8x while using less materials. In total, we can help reduce overhead costs by up to 86% – opening up a plethora of previously unrealistic and non-cost effective 3D printing applications. It’s time to get the presses fired back up!

So, how exactly are we pulling this off? The charm of SD3D lies in its network qualities; it resembles a HaaS platform on the frontend and is powered by an advanced IoT automation network on the backend. Onboarding is made simple; just like on a traditional ERP platform, clients can register and securely log in through our API, upload part files, input any needed job details, and then seamlessly manage production. Once entered in, jobs are pushed to a localized network of fully automated 3D printers – with the closest machine to the user being assigned the job. An ETA and production cost are then sent to the client; once paid, parts are printed and delivered automatically. This unique process provides incredibly quick turnaround times and lower costs – so simple that a human technician doesn’t ever need to set foot in our factory.

Take Pro-TV Solutions, for example – they make after-market adapters for TVs in hospitals and hotels. Upon paying us an upfront flat fee for retainer membership, they get the immediate advantage of instantaneous access to digital inventory – whenever they want it. They can change their design at any time, queue multiple orders, and enjoy all the benefits of just-in-time manufacturing. Armed with this power, Pro-TV can customize their adapters to suit their wide variety of clients while not having to hold any excess inventory or supplies. Other features and benefits that they (and other clients) enjoy include:

Customizable production – With minimal technician oversight, our clients can make industrial-quality customizable products while maintaining a digital inventory of long tail replacement parts. This enables short-run production to be more cost effective than ever before.

Affordability – Free quotes and bulk pricing are just a part of what are the lowest 3D printing prices anywhere. No matter their financial situation, we make 3D printing possible for any business.

Supplementary services – A talented team of creative designers and mechanical engineers is in place to help bring your project together, if needed. We also offer scanning (bust or figurine form) and laser cutting.

Innovative modules – Thermal Volumetric Extrusion (TVE), Auto Ejection, and Adaptive Build Environment (ABE) are just a few 3D printing modules we rely on to make our technology superior.

We’ve come quite a long way since first taking the venture creation leap back in 2013. Technology development began back in 2014, with the original idea to do low cost prototyping. But then, as R&D continued flowing, we eventually demonstrated our first fully-automated print – through a 3rd party internet submission – earlier this year. Here are a few more impressive achievements we’ve racked up during our short time in business:

The press is taking notice. The public is catching on to SD3D – and in a positive way. Press mentions have come from various sources,including 3DPrint.com, ESPN 1700, and ABC10 San Diego.

For a glimpse into our plans for the future, don’t forget to request access to our profile’s private side!

The original SD3D concept has its roots in the corporate sector. While working at Solar Turbines, our founding visionary, David Feeney, witnessed first hand the power that process automation has. Upon successfully automating many of his daily work activities as a Manufacturing Engineer, David brought this same approach to a new toy he’d recently purchased – a 3D printer – and the light bulbs began to shine. It wasn’t long until he quit his job and started SD3D to standardize the 3D printing industry.

David’s an experienced engineer and project manager with a knack for understanding true client needs. With Solar Turbines, he was responsible for fixing design/manufacturing issues on over $100,000,000 worth of products annually. He brings this same skill set to SD3D as our CEO – heading up R&D, business development, and the oversight of these 3 supporting execs:

Bennett Berger, President – After working as an account executive in the insurance and Medicare industries, Bennett then went on to start an economic data consulting firm where he analyzed over 200 class action lawsuits. He’s a talented operational expert who’s fully responsible for marketing, inventory, and financial management.

Marshal Haupt, Chief Engineer – Marshal is a gifted engineer who has gained expertise in various advanced areas, including subsea robotics and flow control meter manufacturing. In addition to managing our technical staff, he also works directly with the CEO to ensure optimal R&D.

Junhua Wei, Sr. Research Engineer – Our resident 3D printing expert has authored over 20 articles in fields such as polymer reinforcement, hardware development, and more. Junhua is a key research asset to our team who heads up experimental measures and mechanical design.